Yosemite Won’t Require Vehicle Reservations For 2026
Yosemite National Park will change its reservation system and won’t require vehicle reservations starting in 2026.
Here’s the National Park Service press release:
Yosemite National Park will not require vehicle reservations in 2026
Date: February 18, 2026
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. – Yosemite National Park today announced it will no longer use a timed reservation system in 2026. The decision follows a comprehensive evaluation of traffic patterns, parking availability and visitor use during the 2025 season.
Park analysis found that most weekdays maintained available parking, stable traffic flow and visitation levels within the park’s operational capacity. These findings indicate that a season-wide reservation requirement is not the most effective approach for 2026.
“We are committed to visitor access, safety, and resource protection, and will continue active traffic management strategies to ensure a great visitor experience,” said Yosemite Superintendent Ray McPadden. “While reservation systems are one valuable management tool, our data demonstrates that a season-wide reservation requirement is not the most effective approach for the coming season.”
Without a reservation system in place, Yosemite will broaden its use of operational strategies that proved effective during the 2025 season. These include:
- Real-time traffic monitoring to identify and respond quickly to congestion hotspots.
- Active parking management in Yosemite Valley to maximize available capacity.
- Additional staffing at key intersections and decision points during peak periods.
- Improved visitor information through road condition alerts, congestion warnings and trip-planning tools.
- Expanded guidance encouraging weekday visitation, when parking and traffic conditions are more favorable.
- Promoting recreation outside Yosemite Valley, including Tuolumne Meadows, Wawona, Hetch Hetchy and other high-quality destinations across the park.
“Our goal is to help every visitor have a safe and enjoyable trip,” McPadden said. “Targeted management gives us the flexibility to address the busiest days while preserving open access on days the park is operating well within capacity.”
Visitors traveling in 2026 are encouraged to:
- Plan visits early, especially for weekends and holiday periods.
- Consider weekday trips for lower congestion and greater parking availability.
- Explore options for hiking, sightseeing and recreation outside Yosemite Valley.
- Check the park website for real-time conditions, seasonal updates and trip-planning tools.
Planning resources, travel tips and current alerts are available at www.nps.gov/yose.
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